SD pitcher Torres suspended after domestic violence charges

NEW YORK (AP) San Diego Padres pitcher Jose Torres has accepted a suspension without pay for the rest of the year by Major League Baseball after his December arrest on domestic violence charges.

Commissioner Rob Manfred said Friday the penalty is retroactive to June 5 and covers 100 games. The suspension will cost the reliever $349,052 of his $550,200 salary.

Torres, who hasn’t pitched this season, has agreed not to appeal and will take part in an evaluation and treatment program. He was put on MLB’s restricted list before spring training began.

The 24-year-old left-hander was 7-4 with one save and a 4.21 ERA in 62 games last year. He made his big league debut in 2016 and pitched four times for the Padres.

Torres pleaded not guilty Jan. 9 in Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix to charges in a Dec. 29 indictment: felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or dangerous incident and misdemeanor recklessly defacing or damaging property of another person.

”We fully support the decision by the commissioner’s office to suspend Jose Torres for violating the joint MLB-MLBPA domestic violence policy. We will continue to support the league’s efforts to educate players and prevent instances like this from occurring in the future,” the Padres said in a statement.